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Android App Review: ThickButtons

Being a guy with big thumbs, my prime motivation for getting a Droid/Milestone was to avoid having to type with an onscreen keyboard. From testing out my friends’ iPhones to messing around with the in-store models, I could tell that any serious (or, well, inebriated) typing was going to be a chore.

Motorola gave me best of both worlds, but I still use my on-screen keyboard to type out quick messages, or to enter the first couple letters into a search field. When it’s working, Swype is usually my keyboard of choice, but since it has this habit of resetting its tutorial and then not letting me swype until I’ve completed it again, I’ve been forced to look elsewhere.

I read about ThickButtons and thought it was a good idea: I mean, a keyboard that automatically makes buttons bigger, depending on the likely next letter? Genius! Finally, a keyboard replacement that suited the needs of me and my large-handed brethren.

However, when I booted it up, I came to a stunning realization: the problem with my typing had nothing to do with the buttons at all. It was all about location.

While Swype is good and ThickButtons had a good idea, ultimately, I type by memory. I have been using the QWERTY keyboard configuration for nearly two decades (I figure I’ll give my toddler self a year or two leeway) and, frankly, know where all the keys are by heart. When I’m typing, I am reacting by instinct and memory, not sight.

ThickButtons turned that on its head. I actually spent -more- time hitting eroneous keys that had spread themselves out over where I thought others would be. I actually had to mentally force myself to keep track of every movement and placement of button so I wouldn’t screw up, and this, ultimately defeats the purpose of the system.

To its credit, you can adjust the amount keys change size between “Little”, “Moderate” and “Significant”. I was using “Moderate” as it was the default for the app, but I felt that changing the key width to smaller or larger would just defeat the purpose of the app or exacerbate the problem.

Ultimately, for what I was using it for, ThickButtons didn’t serve my purpose. For Droid/Milestone users, I have a feeling that the touchscreen keyboard takes a back seat to the physical, only being used in precision-friendly situations.

While it may have its uses for Android owners who don’t have the hardware input option, the learning curve to using ThickButtons doesn’t seem to make it worth replacing a quick Swype, or even the default keyboard. I’d have to recommend a pass on this app, but you’re welcome to try it and comment with your own results. Happy typing!

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Matt Demers is a Toronto writer whose hands just can’t decide if they want to fit snugly into L-sized gloves, or enjoy the roomyness of XL. You can find more of his writing on his personal site, Matt Demers.com

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ircmaxell

I like the concept, but the implementation leaves something to be desired. Perhaps, rather than straight re-sizing of the keys, leave all the keys in the same position, and just expand/shrink those that are predicted. So the center of each key never changes, but the edges do (so each key would grow by say 2/3, 1/3 on either side). That way, your finger memory is the same, but the predicted keys are still easier to hit. If there are 3 side by side that are predicted, only the outer 2 will change, and only on the side away from a predicted key…

Plus, I found the keyboard in general to be very slow. Sometimes it would lag behind my typing by entire words… But I did find it to be pretty accurate for my uses. The only other wish I have for it, is that it included the stock's predictive qualities (where it would auto-predict and replace the word when done)

Jack

I had the same problem with the app. Keys would move where I didn't expect them to. However, I've gotten pretty good at typing without having to look at where my fingers are, so that is why.

My wife, on the other hand, hunts and pecks. So for her, since she is always looking, this just makes it easier for her to hit the right keys. She's happy with ThickButtons… I think it is good, too, but not for me.

Actually, a lot of sites use this type of layout. Check out BoyGeniusReport. It's the same thing. AndroidCentral.com. Same layout. Crackberry.com…guess what…Same Layout. So yeah…This site is fine.

syntakk

ever heard of wordpress?

sumanmd

I haven't had that issue you describe with Swype. It's been my default keyboard, only reinstalled it twice, the first being when the official beta came out, and one other time after that.

The physical keyboard also works great. Love having the dedicated “@” key especially

nkhex19

I downloaded this about a week ago and messed around with it for a little bit and ended up installing it. It wasn't bad but just not really doing it for me. Plus I pretty much just strictly use the physical keyboard unless I'm typing like a one or two word responses.

nkhex19

sorry I meant to type I ended up uninstalling it.

dan_koe82

I tried out ThickButtons and didn't like it at all. It took me nearly twice as long to type the same message.

Also, I'm with Trevor on the idea of slimming down the droid. I originally got the droid because of the physical keyboard, but I find that I never use it.

Yeah, have to agree… I thought this was a good idea until I tried it, and found that it made typing harder. Live and learn, I suppose. Props to the app's author for giving it a shot! It might be a boon to folks who aren't yet used to the qwerty layout (non-native english speakers, kids) or those who just don't type that fast (older and non-technically savvy)?

Seriously though… do people use the hardware keyboard on the Droid? I love everything about my droid except for the hw kb. I find the sw kb much easier to use (and I fear that the slider is going to be the first thing to break on an otherwise awesome phone).

Winterfresh

I use the physical keyboard because i like the D-pad, the “?” Is right there and the @ symbol is right there. Its all down to preference, but using terminal amongst other things would be more difficult w/o one, but its just opinion

carig

From what I've read, the iPhone keyboard does something similar to this where it changes the size of the keys (only the touchable area, not visibly) based on what letters you're most likely to hit next, but it doesn't change the position of the letters. That seems like a much better implementation of the same idea as this keyboard.

Meanwhile the HTC IME keyboard that got ported to the Droid is working wonderfully for me, I can be incredibly sloppy and it still gets what I'm trying to type. Very customizable and highly recommended. I only wish it had multi-touch so I could type with two thumbs w/o missing letters.

I used ThickButtons and did not like it. Too much key movement going on, literally. I just have to state, I am not one of the “most” users you refer to regarding the physical keyboard, as I never (and I mean never) use the physical keyboard. I've tried all the soft keyboard replacements and find myself always reverting back to the stock keyboard. I would be perfectly happy to slim down my droid by eliminating the physical keyboard and that is one of the few reasons I would consider the Nexus. My 2 cents. 🙂

chop74

I agree. I never open the Droid KB. Iwould be a perfect machine for me without the added bulk.

saimin

I'm not interested in any keyboard that doesn't have a speech-to-text option.